Chapter 1.—1. We have the testimony of the blessed Cyprian, that the custom of the Catholic Church is at present retained, when men
coming from the side of heretics or schismatics, if they have received baptism as consecrated in the words of the gospel,
are not baptized afresh. For he himself proposed to himself the question, and that as coming from the mouth of brethren either
seeking the truth or contending for the truth. For in
the course of the arguments by which he wished to show that heretics should be baptized again, which we have sufficiently
considered for our present purpose in the former books, he says: "But some will say, What then will become of those who in
times past, coming to the Church from heresy, were admitted without baptism?"14691469 Cypr. Ep. lxxiii. ad Jubaian. 23. In this question is involved the shipwreck of the whole cause of the Donatists, with whom our contest is on this point.
For if those had not really baptism who were thus received on coming from heretics, and their sins were still upon them, then,
when such men were admitted to communion, either by those who came before Cyprian or by Cyprian himself, we must acknowledge
that one of two things occurred,—either that the Church perished then and there from the pollution of
communion with such men, or that any one abiding in unity is not injured by even the notorious sins of other men. But since
they cannot say that the Church then perished through the contamination arising from communion with those who, as Cyprian
says, were admitted into it without baptism—for otherwise they cannot maintain the validity of their own origin if the Church
then perished, seeing that the list of consuls proves that more than forty years elapsed between the martyrdom of Cyprian
and
the burning of the sacred books,14701470 See below, Book VII. c. 2, 3. from which they took occasion to make a schism, spreading abroad the smoke of their calumnies,—it therefore is left for them
to acknowledge that the unity of Christ is not polluted by any such communion, even with known offenders. And, after this
confession, they will be unable to discover any reason which will justify them in maintaining that they were bound to separate
from the churches of the whole world, which, as we read, were equally founded by the apostles, seeing
that, while the others could not have perished from any admixture of offenders, of whatsoever kind, they, though they would
not have perished if they had remained in unity with them, brought destruction on themselves in schism, by separating themselves
from their brethren, and breaking the bond of peace. For the sacrilege of schism is most clearly evident in them, if they
had no sufficient cause for separation. And it is clear that there was no sufficient cause for separation, if even the
presence of notorious offenders cannot pollute the good while they abide in unity. But that the good, abiding in unity, are
not polluted even by notorious offenders, we teach on the testimony of Cyprian, who says that "men in past times, coming to
the Church from heresy, were admitted without baptism;" and yet, if the wickedness of their sacrilege, which was still upon
them, seeing it had not been purged away by baptism, could not pollute and destroy the holiness of the Church, it cannot
perish by any infection from wicked men. Wherefore, if they allow that Cyprian spoke the truth, they are convicted of schism
on his testimony; if they maintain that he does not speak truth, let them not use his testimony on the question of baptism.